Far-Right Media Watch

Unmasking PDX Real: How Angela Todd and Convicted Sex Offender Jeff Church Spread Disinformation

Posted on 2026/05/30 - 2026/05/30 by frmw

Convicted Child Pornographer Jeff Church and PDX Co-Owner Angela Todd

If you live in the Portland area, you have likely encountered content from PDX Real. Run by Angela Todd and her husband Jeff Church, the platform has amassed a massive social media following by portraying itself as a voice for “fed-up” citizens. On its surface, PDX Real claims to be about accountability, public safety, and common sense.
In reality, it functions as a highly coordinated, right-wing disinformation ecosystem. PDX Real has spent years ginning up digital rage, punching down at vulnerable populations, and laundering false allegations into the mainstream. But perhaps the most glaring issue with PDX Real isn’t just the content they produce—it’s the staggering hypocrisy of the people running it.
Here is the opposition research breakdown on PDX Real, Angela Todd, and Jeff Church.

The Jo Ann Hardesty Smear: Weaponizing False Allegations

PDX Real’s playbook relies heavily on targeted harassment against progressive leaders, and their most egregious offense was their role in the coordinated smear campaign against former Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty.
In 2021, a false report was leaked by members of the Portland Police Bureau baselessly accusing Commissioner Hardesty of a hit-and-run accident. Angela Todd and PDX Real were among the very first and loudest voices to aggressively spread this false conspiracy theory to their tens of thousands of followers.
The allegations were entirely fabricated—a fact that eventually resulted in a major lawsuit settlement and a formal apology to Hardesty from the city. But for PDX Real, the truth didn’t matter. The goal was character assassination, and they proved they were willing to weaponize outright lies to destroy the reputation of a Black female progressive leader.

Punching Down: Anti-Homeless Harassment as Content

A core pillar of PDX Real’s growth has been exploiting Portland’s homelessness and addiction crisis for engagement. Rather than offering solutions, the platform operates a virtual pillory.

Poverty Porn: PDX Real regularly posts videos and photos of individuals experiencing severe mental health crises or addiction, framing them not as human beings in need of intervention, but as objects of disgust and mockery.
Harassment: By relentlessly focusing their digital crosshairs on the unhoused, they foster a comment section rife with calls for violence, cruelty, and vigilantism against the city’s most vulnerable populations. It isn’t journalism; it is organized, anti-homeless harassment designed to stoke suburban resentment.

The Hypocrisy of “Law and Order”: Jeff Church’s Record

PDX Real constantly demands harsh, uncompromising “law and order” for the streets of Portland. Yet, the platform deliberately hides the criminal history of its own co-owner.
While Angela Todd is the public face and voice of the operation, her husband, Jeff Church, operates behind the scenes (including running the platform’s X/Twitter account). What PDX Real’s followers aren’t told is that Jeff Church is a registered sex offender with a documented history of soliciting prostitutes.
The hypocrisy is staggering. A platform that built its entire brand on moral panic, exposing the alleged crimes of marginalized people, and demanding strict legal crackdowns is co-operated by an individual with a sex offense and solicitation record. They demand transparency from the city while entirely obfuscating the predatory history of their own leadership.

Mainstreaming Extremism: The Republican Governor Debates

Despite spreading debunked conspiracy theories and hiding Church’s criminal record, PDX Real has somehow managed to legitimize itself within the Oregon Republican party.
In a shocking display of how far right-wing politics have merged with fringe digital grievance platforms, PDX Real’s Angela Todd was granted the authority to moderate an official Oregon Republican gubernatorial debate in April 2026.

Elevating Bad Actors: By allowing PDX Real to host and moderate a gubernatorial debate, mainstream political figures normalized a disinformation hub.
The Ethical Void: It forces a glaring question: Why is the state’s Republican establishment allowing their political discourse to be steered by an organization that spreads police-leaked lies, and is co-owned by a registered sex offender?

The Takeaway

PDX Real is not a grassroots civic organization; it is a reactionary outrage machine. Angela Todd and Jeff Church have built a lucrative, influential platform by punching down at the homeless, amplifying false police smears against political opponents, and demanding a standard of “law and order” that Church himself has failed to meet. Exposing PDX Real means recognizing them for what they are: bad-faith agitators hiding their own dark histories behind a camera and a fake populist crusade.

Tags: Angela Todd, Jeff Church, Portland, Oregon, PDX Real, Interior Design, Oregon GOP

The Post Millennial’s Street Agent: Deconstructing the Record of Katie Daviscourt

Posted on 2026/05/30 - 2026/05/30 by frmw

When we talk about the right-wing media machine, we often focus on the talking heads in New York studios or the politicians in Washington. But that machine requires fuel—and that fuel is often manufactured on the streets of our cities by a network of “influencers” masquerading as investigative journalists.

Enter Katie Daviscourt.
Branding herself as a reporter for the right-wing outlet The Post Millennial, Daviscourt has carved out a lucrative niche for herself: pointing a camera at left-wing protests, heavily editing the context, and feeding the resulting outrage directly into the conservative media ecosystem. But a closer look at her public record reveals a disturbing pattern of partisan bias, and a cozy relationship with state power that actively endangers actual activists and independent journalists.

Here is a breakdown of the record, the bias, and the danger behind Daviscourt’s camera.

The Propaganda Pipeline: How the Grift Works

Daviscourt’s core strategy is simple: embed near anti-ICE or anti-police brutality protests in cities like Portland and Seattle, capture brief moments of friction, and strip away the context. This footage is then laundered through The Post Millennial and piped directly to networks like Fox News and Newsmax to craft a narrative of “war-ravaged” cities overrun by “Antifa.”

Media researchers and professors studying media activism have pointed out that influencers like Daviscourt do not follow the journalistic norms of balance and independence. Instead of impartially documenting events, they act as ideological counter-protesters. The resulting videos are often spun out to broader conservative media and even reposted by federal agencies, creating a feedback loop where the government works hand-in-glove with these influencers to promote a specific law-and-order narrative.

A Timeline of Manufactured Victimhood

Daviscourt’s rise in the right-wing influencer sphere is heavily reliant on centering herself as the victim of the “intolerant left.” This narrative is highly effective at generating clicks, donations, and political capital.

September 30, 2025 (The Flagpole Incident): Outside a Portland ICE facility, Daviscourt reported being hit in the face with a flagpole by a protester, resulting in a black eye. She immediately took to Fox News to criticize the Portland Police Bureau and demand the resignation of the Police Chief, centering herself as the ultimate martyr of left-wing violence.
October 2025 (The White House Roundtable): The payoff for her activism arrived shortly after when Daviscourt was invited to a White House roundtable on Antifa with President Donald Trump. Trump and his administration directly used Daviscourt’s black eye as a political prop, citing her injury as justification to crack down on “Antifa criminals” and launch federal investigations. She had officially transitioned from a “journalist” to a tool of state enforcement.
May 2026 (The May Day Riot): The cycle repeated. Daviscourt reported being assaulted by an “Antifa mob” during a May Day anti-ICE protest in Portland, immediately triggering a rapid response and formal investigation from the Department of Justice.

The Hypocrisy of “Press Freedom”

Perhaps the most damning aspect of Daviscourt’s record is the glaring double standard of how her “journalism” is treated by law enforcement compared to actual independent reporters.
When Daviscourt claimed she was assaulted in May 2026, the Department of Justice immediately launched a federal investigation to protect her, while the Trump administration used her earlier injury to demand local police crackdowns.
Contrast this with the reality documented by the Freedom of the Press Foundation. While the White House and the DOJ feign absolute outrage over Daviscourt’s black eye, they have remained entirely silent on federal agents deliberately brutalizing independent, non-partisan journalists. Around the exact same time Daviscourt was given a seat at the White House, independent photojournalists in Portland (like John Rudoff and Mason Lake) were being shot with pepper balls, hit in the neck with impact projectiles, and targeted with tear gas by federal agents.

Violence against the press is an attack on the First Amendment. But as press freedom advocates have pointed out, the government only cares about protecting “journalists” like Daviscourt who further their preferred, right-wing political narratives.

The Takeaway

Katie Daviscourt is not an objective observer. She is an active participant in a right-wing media cycle designed to criminalize dissent, smear anti-fascist and anti-ICE organizers, and provide political cover for federal crackdowns in our cities.
When you see a Post Millennial watermark or a viral clip of an “Antifa attack” filmed by Daviscourt, remember what is just outside the frame: the federal agents brutalizing actual reporters, the deceptive editing suites, and the political agendas being served.

Do not let the camera lie to you.

The Danger Behind the Camera: Unpacking the Record of “Laughing at Liberals” AKA Michael Aaron Strickland

Posted on 2026/03/08 - 2026/05/30 by frmw

When does online provocation cross the line into real-world danger? For Portland, Oregon activists, the answer can be found in the long, turbulent record of Michael Aaron Strickland.

Better known by his online moniker “Laughing at Liberals,” Strickland spent years building a digital following by filming, mocking, and harassing left-wing demonstrators, racial justice advocates, and LGBTQ+ groups. But what started as a controversial YouTube channel eventually escalated into a high-profile criminal case and a disturbing pattern of post-conviction extremism.
If you’re tracking right-wing provocateurs in the Pacific Northwest, here is the opposition research breakdown on Strickland’s history of harassment, his felony convictions, and his continued unhinged rhetoric.

The Harassment Pipeline: Doxxing Marginalized Communities

Long before he made national headlines, Strickland established a reputation among Portland’s progressive community not as a journalist, but as a bad-faith agitator. His modus operandi was simple but destructive:

Intimidation as Content: Strickland routinely showed up at Black Lives Matter rallies, LGBTQ+ events, and Portland State University student meetings to aggressively film activists against their will.
Weaponizing an Audience: Videos uploaded to his “Laughing at Liberals” channel acted as a homing beacon for digital mobs. His comment sections and linked forums became breeding grounds for racist, transphobic, and anti-Semitic vitriol.
The Doxxing Effect: Local organizers frequently reported that making an involuntary appearance in a Strickland video resulted in severe cyber-harassment. Activists had their home addresses, workplaces, and personal contact information exposed online, often followed by credible threats of violence and sexual assault.
By targeting vulnerable, marginalized populations, critics argue his true goal was to suppress left-wing organizing through the constant threat of digital and physical retaliation.

The 2016 Boiling Point: A Loaded Gun at a BLM Protest

Strickland’s history of provocation reached a dangerous climax on July 7, 2016, during a “Don’t Shoot PDX” and Black Lives Matter demonstration in downtown Portland.
Recognizing him from his previous harassment campaigns, a group of demonstrators confronted Strickland, chanted “Racist, you gotta go,” and demanded he leave the area. As the crowd advanced, Strickland backed away—and then unholstered a semi-automatic Glock, gripped it with both hands, and swept the muzzle across the crowd of protesters.

Heavily Armed: When police arrested him shortly after the incident, they discovered his handgun was loaded with a round in the chamber, and he was carrying five additional high-capacity magazines.
The Verdict: Strickland claimed self-defense, arguing he was terrified of the advancing crowd. The justice system disagreed. In 2017, a judge found him guilty of 21 crimes, including 10 counts of unlawful use of a weapon and 10 counts of menacing.
The Appeals: Despite taking his case all the way to the Oregon Court of Appeals and petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court, his felony convictions stand, and he was permanently stripped of his right to own firearms.

Post-Conviction: Unhinged Rhetoric and Zero Remorse

You might expect multiple felony convictions to serve as a wake-up call. Instead, Strickland doubled down. Since his trial, he has maintained a highly combative, often unhinged online presence, haunting local news comment sections (like Willamette Week) to wage rhetorical war against his perceived enemies.

Attacking the Justice System: Strickland refuses to take accountability for drawing a weapon on a crowd. He constantly frames himself as the victim of a rigged, partisan justice system, claiming his First and Second Amendment rights were “nullified” by a corrupt judge.
Smearing Prosecutors: He routinely targets local officials, particularly former Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt. In bizarre online rants, Strickland has characterized prosecutors as “badged antifa protectors” and even absurdly accused them of being “pro child abuse.”
Violent Ideation: Most alarmingly, his commentary often devolves into extreme, hyper-partisan fantasies. In one public forum, he explicitly stated that he would prefer a society with total anarchy—no police and no laws—because in that scenario, “people WILL use their 2nd amendment right to defend themselves against ANTIFA and there won’t be any prosecutors to prosecute you for doing so.”

A Disturbing Network of Associates

Beyond his own actions, the threat Strickland poses is magnified by the troubling network of extremists, criminals, and disgraced figures he chooses to align with:

Benjamin Barber: Strickland has associated himself with Benjamin Barber, a far-right convicted sex offender who spent years stalking women in Portland and engaged in revenge porn. Barber has actively collaborated within this ecosystem, even helping Strickland and notorious Proud Boy Tusitala “Tiny” Toese with their legal strategies.
Elroy Lamont: His connections also extend to individuals like Elroy Lamont of Texas, who was convicted of making bomb threats to school districts.
Victoria Taft: On the media front, Strickland associates with right-wing commentator Victoria Taft. Taft’s credibility has been thoroughly debunked; PolitiFact has explicitly labeled her a liar, and her track record of fabricating information led to her being fired from mainstream radio.

The Takeaway

Michael Aaron Strickland is a textbook example of how the ecosystem of digital outrage can bleed into physical danger. From building a harassment pipeline that doxxed marginalized activists to drawing a loaded weapon on a crowd of protesters, his actions have consistently undermined public safety. Today, his lack of remorse, continued violent rhetoric, and willing association with convicted criminals prove that his underlying extremism hasn’t faded—it has only adapted to a post-conviction reality.

Tags: Michael Aaron Strickland, Oregon City, Portland, Oregon, Far-Right, Dangerous, Violent, Mentally Unstable, Racist, Anti-LGBT

Ben Zeisloft: Amplifying Far-Right Disinformation Through Media Channels

Posted on 2025/05/19 - 2025/05/19 by frmw

Ben Zeisloft, a far-right writer and reporter, has been identified by People For the American Way’s Right Wing Watch as a disseminator of disinformation and a proponent of Christian nationalism.

Recent Example of Disinformation

In a recent article, Zeisloft claimed that the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention actively worked to kill a bill aimed at ending abortion in Louisiana. He accused the ERLC of subverting efforts to abolish abortion, stating that they have a history of working against legislation that would end abortion.

However, this claim has been challenged by various fact-checkers and organizations, pointing out that the ERLC’s actions were more nuanced and involved complex legislative processes. The portrayal of the ERLC’s involvement as a deliberate attempt to “kill” the bill has been labeled as misleading and lacking context.

Promotion of Christian Nationalism

Beyond disinformation, Zeisloft has been noted for his advocacy of Christian nationalist views. He has called for policies that blur the line between church and state, such as the “separation of sodomy and state,” reflecting a desire to impose specific religious doctrines on public policy.

Conclusion

Ben Zeisloft’s activities exemplify how individuals can leverage media platforms to spread disinformation and promote ideologies that challenge democratic norms. His work underscores the importance of critical media consumption and the need to uphold the separation between religious beliefs and governmental policies.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the Right Wing Watch profile on Ben Zeisloft: https://www.peoplefor.org/rightwingwatch/people/ben-zeisloft

Tenet Media: A Russian Propaganda Outlet Fueling U.S. Division

Posted on 2024/09/16 - 2024/09/16 by frmw

Tenet Media: Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern

Tenet Media, a right-wing media outlet founded by conservatives Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan in January 2022, has recently come under intense scrutiny. Allegations have surfaced linking the organization to Russian state-sponsored propaganda aimed at influencing the 2024 U.S. presidential election. With six prominent right-wing influencers at its helm, including Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, and Matt Christiansen, Tenet Media has been accused of promoting Russian government narratives to its American audience.

Tenet Media’s Inception and Content

Originally describing itself as a “network of heterodox commentators” focusing on Western political and cultural issues, Tenet Media quickly gained traction in conservative circles. Its content often revolved around topics like illegal immigration, claims of racism against white people, free speech, and the role of figures like Elon Musk in American discourse. Climate change denial and critical commentary on U.S. foreign policy were also recurring themes.

However, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), many of Tenet Media’s videos contained covert Russian government messaging. The DOJ noted that while the views in these videos were not uniform, most aligned with the publicly stated goals of the Russian government, specifically those of RT (formerly Russia Today), a well-known state-controlled media outlet. The aim: to amplify domestic divisions in the United States.

Russian Government Funding Allegations

The most alarming revelation surrounding Tenet Media is the extent of its alleged financial ties to Russia. The DOJ’s investigation revealed that Tenet Media was secretly receiving millions of dollars from Russian state-controlled entities to influence American voters ahead of the 2024 election. According to an unsealed indictment, two Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, funneled approximately $10 million into Tenet Media. This money was intended to create content that subtly promoted Russian propaganda, specifically around controversial topics in U.S. domestic and foreign policy.

The indictment reveals that Tenet’s founders knowingly masked this Russian funding by fabricating a European benefactor named “Eduard Grigoriann”, while privately acknowledging that their real backers were from Russia. Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, who were employed by RT, played critical roles in Tenet Media’s daily operations starting in late 2023, using false identities to avoid detection.

Political Influence and Recruitment of Influencers

Among the key players recruited to promote this content were influential conservative figures like Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, and Benny Johnson, each of whom commands significant followings across social media platforms. According to the DOJ, these influencers were paid substantial sums — upwards of $400,000 per month — to produce politically charged videos, many of which furthered divisive narratives in line with Russian objectives. In one instance, these influencers were instructed to blame a deadly attack at Crocus City Hall on Ukraine and the United States, shifting responsibility away from Russia.

Despite their involvement, Rubin, Pool, and Johnson have claimed to be “unwitting victims” of the scheme, alleging that they were unaware of Tenet Media’s Russian ties. However, their platforms were instrumental in spreading messages that mirrored Russian government goals, and the content they produced reached millions of viewers.

Legal Fallout and Shutdown

The DOJ formally indicted Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva on September 4, 2024, for failing to register as foreign agents and laundering Russian funds through Tenet Media. The indictment also accused Tenet of playing a central role in a broader Russian attempt to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election in favor of Donald J. Trump.

In response, YouTube terminated Tenet Media’s channel, which had amassed over 316,000 subscribers, as well as other related accounts run by its founders and influencers. On September 5, 2024, Tenet influencer Tayler Hansen announced that the company had officially shut down amid mounting legal pressures. This closure came just as the Biden administration imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and entities associated with Russian election interference, while seizing 32 internet domains used in the operation.

Conclusion

The indictment of Tenet Media is part of a larger campaign by the U.S. government to counter Russian interference in the 2024 presidential election. By leveraging popular conservative influencers and secretly funneling Russian funds into American media, Tenet Media played a critical role in spreading disinformation designed to deepen political divisions in the United States. As the legal consequences unfold, this case highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities of U.S. media to foreign interference, and the need for greater transparency and accountability in political discourse.